While we absolutely need to continue to tackle our long-term budget deficit and debt challenges fairly and responsibly, we now have some breathing room to also focus on the other deficits facing our country.

The budget that Senate Budget Committee Chair Patty Murray released yesterday stands in sharp contrast to the one that her House counterpart, Paul Ryan, released on Tuesday. Hers is more appropriate to meet the nation's economic and fiscal challenges.

The budget process and conversation is too often limited to bureaucrats and politicians. The truth is that the federal budget belongs to the American people. That's why I am proud to announce the launch of MyBudget, a new online platform for members of the public to engage with the Senate Budget Committee.

Anyone who has examined the U.S. Treasury and the central bank (the Federal Reserve) records knows the national debt clocks on the internet and in New York City generally display one misleading number.